Cruelty of Fate
by SongBird394
Summary: AU Ryan Atwood's life was boring...until one night at a party his life changes. Now all he has to do is find the object of his newly discovered desire... except he has no idea who she is. A story of what happens when Fate takes on human desire...RM
1. Chapter 1

**A/N- I read a novel with a similar premise to this one awhile back. I thought that it would be interesting to try an AU fic about Ryan and Marissa, since my last one kind of died. Let me know what you think. The story is going to unfold over several chapters so don't worry if it's confusing at first.**

Ryan Atwood was absolutely bored out of his mind. He had spent the past three hours of his life talking and socializing with people he didn't really know. He hated these kinds of people. The privileged people, the ones who got whatever they wanted and didn't have to ever work for it. He glanced up as his best friend walked up to him, holding out a beer.

"Ryan, man, you have got to get into the swing of things. I mean, I know this isn't exactly your ideal place to be on a Friday night but this place isn't bad. In fact, with all these girls, I'd say it's pretty great."

"Seth, how many of these have you had?" Ryan asked, gesturing to the beer bottle that had been swung wildly by Seth, spilling some of the contents.

"You know…I'm not even sure. I had to funnel with that thing they funnel with."

"Right…okay…are you almost ready to leave?"

"Come on man, loosen up. Since when have I ever been the life of a college party?"

"Since when have you been to a college party?"

"Fair enough. But if we compare people being cool, you win. And you aren't following that pattern tonight. It's weird Ryan." Seth paused and waved at a girl who called out his name. "Even the fact that a girl noticed me is totally off the cosmos scale of normal."

"I just don't like these things and you know it."

"But why? What's not to like?"

"Um, the preppy kids that think people from where I'm from should be wiping their shoes and bringing their cars around as a valet. The kids who have never actually experienced life outside of a credit card. Seth these aren't people. These are dolls. I want to call them neo-newpsies. No one here is real. You know I grew up in Chino and yeah I have lived in Newport with you but I still know what it's like to not be able to afford something."

"Oh, I see. Well then you take your sanctimonious high-road and I'll just chill with my own people. Since I'm not real. Whatever man. I'll see you later."

"Seth!" But it was too late as Ryan lost sight of Seth in the crowd of people around him. This definitely had not been his day.

He hadn't been able to find the place the party was supposed to be in, then he hadn't been able to get in because no one knew who he was exactly. The party was lame and he had now alienated his only friend there. One thing Seth had said was right. The cosmos were out of whack, they were indeed stacked against him.

Taking a deep breath, Ryan surveyed the room and decided to attempt talking to one of the girls nearby. He just needed to think of something generic enough to say.

"Hey, so what's your major?" He leaned in, yelling so he could be heard over the music.

"Um? Ew." She said and walked away. Oops, wrong question, Ryan thought.

Ryan just wiped his eyes. This night could not possibly be any worse. He glanced around the room again looking for Seth but could not spot him. Seeing another red head nearby, he thought to have one last shot at normal conversation.

"Uh, hi. I'm Ryan. Do you go to Berkeley?"

She turned and smiled, and Ryan was so relieved he had made contact with someone normal he missed the tell-tale signs of a drunk.

"Hey! So like yeah. I like major in like fashion. Or art. Maybe it's history? I don't like remember but I don't remember you either. Guess it's one of those nights. Did you know that it's impossible to touch your ear with your nose."

Ryan stared at the girl for a minute. He could not believe the luck he was having. Before he answered, someone walked up behind him and bashed right into him.

"Whoa!" Ryan shouted as his drink spilled all across his lap.

"Oh for fu—nevermind. I'm going to the bathroom." He said as the girl who had hit him while grinding with her boyfriend attempted an apology.

After five minutes in the bathroom, Ryan realized he was not going to get the stain out. But he couldn't walk around looking like a retard. So he poked his head out of the door and spotted a familiar face walking down the hall, someone he had Lit class with.

"Summer! Summer Roberts. I need your help." He pleaded as he leaned out the door, trying to hide the stain.

"Hey Atwood, what's up?" She stopped walking and leaned in to the bathroom to see the problem.

"Oh, that's bad. Hm, okay well I know the guy throwing the party pretty well. I'm trying to set him up with my best friend. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I grabbed a shirt from him and let you borrow it. As long as you give it back next class?"

"Are you sure? I don't want some Ken Doll trying to kick my ass when I leave."

"No, it'll be fine, I'll square it with him. Quickly come into the bedroom but don't let anyone see this happen. I have a reputation you know."

Ryan snuck into the bedroom behind Summer and took off his shirt. Just as he took the shirt Summer offered him, the door opened and a stumbling blonde walked in.

"Oops. Sorry. As you were little soldier." And she stepped out of the room.

"Oh my god. That did not just happen. This can't get around. I'm not some slut. You stay. Or no go. God I don't know. Just Callie come back! It's not like that." Summer ran after her friend trying to convince her of the truth.

"Right." Ryan said and picking up his old shirt, put on the new one before quickly exiting the room and looking for the nearest exit. He realized then he had left his jacket by the front door so he would have to walk back through the main throng of party-goers but then he would be safe and out of the self-proclaimed hell.

"Ryan! Ryan! Dude, I heard you were hooking up with some chick. Well I mean, I think it was you because of the 'blond, blue-eyed, broody description I heard."

"It's not like that Seth. I don't just sleep with randoms. That part of my life is in Chino."

"Whatever man, you should have seen…" Ryan stopped listening and just took a gaze around the room and it was at this point when…

Ryan's world simply stopped. He couldn't breathe. Time stopped ticking. The music actually stopped playing. He could only see. A girl. But not just any girl. His girl. She had to be made for him. He had never had this kind of reaction. She was slim, blonde, and if he could tell from all the way across the room, she had blue eyes. Everything about her was perfection. He just had to talk to her. Get to know her…anything. She seemed to be talking to the girl that had walked in on him and Summer. All he had to do was cross the room and…

"Ryan? Uh RYAN!?" Seth stepped directly into Ryan's view of Dreamgirl and all of a sudden his trance ended with a whooshing sound. "Dude, like you zoned out. And at the best part of my story. So anyway I was talking to Karen…"

"Seth. Move!" Ryan shoved aside his best friend and glanced back to the corner. But she was gone. And so was the girl she had been talking to.

"Where is she? Where'd she go?"

"Who man? The girl you were with?"

"No…shut up. The girl…she was perfect."

"Right. Um I'm gonna go then and let you talk to your imaginary friend."

"She was right here." Ryan exclaimed as he stood in the spot the girl had occupied only seconds before. "Where did she go? I don't even know her name!"

Ryan searched the entire room full of people and he could not locate his girl. And since the room was full of endless tall blondes, he couldn't exactly get a name. It was as if she had vanished with a trace. But fate couldn't be that mean, could it?


	2. Chapter 2

Marissa Cooper woke up in an extreme daze. She couldn't really remember where she was or much about the night before. In fact, at the moment she couldn't quite decide where she was. And then she rolled over to find herself face-to-face with the guy who threw the previous night's houseparty.

"Oh my god." She said, and then she blushed.

But what else could she have said? If all the signs she was reading were right, she'd slept with a guy and she wasn't entirely sure of his name. What made it worse was that she'd never slept with anyone before. There was just something about last night that had compelled her to find this guy out. Plus the incessant nagging of her best friend.

"Well, that's what every guy wants to wake up to. Don't worry, I don't take offence, it happens a lot actually." The guy said and then he hopped out of the bed, completely naked. Marissa tried not to look but as every girl would have, she snuck a peak. And he caught her.

"Ha, not enough last night then? That's alright. I'm not entirely sure I was at my best. We can have another go but I have to run for this study group in Lit soon."

"Um, I'll pass but thanks…uh…" She tried for any recollection of the mention of a name.

"Trev. Trev Douglas. Don't worry, I know your name. Marissa Cooper. I've been watching you for awhile now. It took me this entire semester to get Summer to finally want to hook us up. Worth it though."

"Um, thanks…I think. So, you…do this a lot? Random girl at a party?" She asked, not sure she wanted to know the answer.

"Um, well it's not rare." He said as he finally slipped into a pair of boxers and handed her a shirt so she wasn't just sitting on a bed, wrapped in a sheet.

"Oh. Uh, so were we…you know…did we use a…" Her face just got a deeper shade of red with every word.

"Don't worry, you're safe and everything. Um, did you want some breakfast or something?"

Even though her stomach was growling madly, Marissa decided the best course of action would be to get out of the house as soon as possible and call Summer.

"You know, I think I'll just grab something at home, I should really get there. My roommate is probably worried sick."

"Okay, well I'll just—" But Trev was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. "Shit, who the hell could that be?"

Marissa's eyes got huge. The last thing she wanted was her entire group of friends to know she had slept with a random guy. She was always chastising them for going home with any guy who so much as smiled in their direction.

"Do you have like a back way out of here or something so that person doesn't see me. I really don't want to be seen. It's not you, it's just…this isn't like me. It felt like something made me do it. Once again, no offence."

"None taken. Uh, you can go out the back door if it means that much to you there babe. Why don't you give me your number or a quick kiss before you go and I'll call you sometime?" Trev smiled at Marissa as she ran around the room gathering her clothes to get dressed.

"You know what…I'll get your number off Summer and…I'll call you." She turned and smiled at him. "Where did you say this way out was?"

Marissa heard one of Trev's roommates answering the door, so she got her purse and headed for the door. Trev pointed her out the door and grabbed her hand before she could leave.

"I had a good time. I hope you don't regret this night. It was one to remember."

"I'm pretty sure I won't. Bye now." Marissa responded and ran out of the house. She had a feeling she had just experienced one night in her life she would never forget.

Meanwhile Trev went to the door and saw his roommate was still talking to some blond guy. He was asking about a shirt with a stain left around the place.

"Do you mind if I take a look or anything?" The new kid asked.

"Come on in man," Trev answered. "You'll have to sort through a lot of stuff in the living room but maybe it's there. I'm Trev and I don't remember you being here but that's always the sign of a good party." He said, extending a hand.

"Ryan." The blond guy answered.

"Nice to meet you. So you left your shirt here? That's another sign of a great party."

"Uh..it wasn't like that, I got spilled on and I brought back the shirt I borrowed, Summer Roberts said that would be okay with you guys."

"Yeah, no problem. Summer had a good night too, heard she hooked up with some random."

Ryan debated telling Trev that he was actually the random guy and that no one had hooked up with anyone…but then he decided better to keep his mouth shut.

"Oh really? I guess I left before that news broke."

"Hm, well yeah. I hooked up with some chick shortly thereafter so I don't know much about the rest of the party either. She had to be the best looking girl here by far."

Ryan paused a moment and then answered. "No way man, there was only one girl here last night for me, and she disappeared. It's like she evaporated. But she was…wow."

"Haha don't worry man, if you come to enough of these parties, you'll run into her again, it's always the same people," Trev flipped over a chair that had been overturned and then focused his attention back to Ryan. "Sorry man, I can't see your shirt but like…I have Summer in this lit class of mine, why don't I give it to her, and she can give it to you?"

"Hey, I have that same class I bet." Ryan answered.

"Oh cool then, we'll have to hang out. But I better get ready cuz if I wanna make the study group for this morning, then I better hurry."

"Yeah, I have a few errands to run. I guess I'll see you there then. Thanks again for the loner shirt." Ryan said as he and Trev walked towards the door.

"No probs man. We look after our own." He extended his hand and Ryan shook it. "Lateskies."

Ryan walked out of the house just as dejected as the night before. No girl, no shirt. The world didn't seem to like him at all. He got in his car and drove to the bank, before he got to the coffee shop where he and Summer were supposed to meet for the study group.

"Hey Atwood, over here. I didn't get you anything yet. I just got here. I kind of debated on coming. I don't know that getting seen with you again so close to last night is a good idea. But I'm here. Go grab a coffee or something."

Ryan headed towards the counter to pick a coffee as Summer's phone rang.

"Hey Coop. I can't talk long. What's up?"

On the other end of the phone Marissa was debating whether or not to tell her best friend about the night's events face-to-face or just do it quickly on the phone. She decided even she couldn't be a coward.

"Sum, I need to see you ASAP. I had a major life development…and we need to talk."

"Okay, hopefully you and Trev kissed or something. I know hooking up with randoms isn't your thing but at least I hope you got his number."

Marissa paled at her friends words and didn't say anything for awhile. Then she realized Summer was waiting.

"No…but I heard that's what you did last night!"

"No way Coop that didn't happen!!" As Ryan approached Summer decided to end the convo. "I'll come over later and we'll talk this through. Bye Coop." And she hung up.

As Ryan had approached he saw Summer get very angry at whoever 'Coop' was. He figured it was probably a new boyfriend and didn't ask for any details.

"Oh, yeah Atwood. This is for you. I found it right before I left the party last night."

Summer handed Ryan his shirt he'd gone looking for.

"Oh, wow. Thanks. I've actually already been back to that house to look for it. But I really appreciate it. Not a wasted trip. I met some guy in our class. Trev?"

"Oh yeah, I know him. I was trying to hook him up with my best friend last night, I think I told you that though. But whatever. That party sucked. It did nothing but cause me grief." She grimaced and looked at Ryan when she realized what she had said. "Uh, no offence."

"None taken, I understand," He said and then continued. "But no. I think I saw the woman I'm supposed to marry at that party. I don't know who she is or anything. Do you maybe know her? Uh she was like my height, blonde hair, I think her eyes were blue."

"Um aside from the fact you just named every single girl except me at that party, I have to point out the obvious. If you're going to marry her, your foundation isn't very good. You can't even remember her name?"

"No, I didn't meet her, I saw her and I just…" His voice trailed off.

"Oh my god, ew. You're like, my best friend. You guys and your romantic-ish nonsense about cosmos and fate. You guys should go out."

"No, I don't think so. I just want this one girl. I need to know who she is though. Any news on a party coming up? Like this weekend?"

"Hm, I don't know. Probably. But I'm not sure. Ask Trev when you see him. But as it is, we need to get started or else I will never be able to swing by my friend's house afterwards."

Ryan smiled at the use of the word friend. It definitely had to be a new guy Summer was seeing.

"Okay, well let's start and you keep me posted on any party with these people. I need to find this girl."

Summer nodded as she picked up her bag and opened up her notebook. "Alright. Now, since no one else is here…what did you think of the assigned reading?"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N- okay so I'm a terrible updater...but I eventually updated? I don't even know if anyone still cares, but I felt guilty about this fic just sort of being left alone...so I started it up again. Now, updates will be faster than last time, but I make no guarantees about when. Anyway, this chapter is done and the next is on the way... so R & R please...its motivational?**

Summer walked into Marissa's place and found the place to be a disaster. Clothes were everywhere, magazines scattered across any surface and dishes on any other available surface. Marissa herself looked absolutely wrecked. Not in a oh-my-god-I cannot-remember-a-single-second-of-last-night way…more like in a oh-my-god-i-wish-i-didn't-remember-last-night way.

"Coop, what the hell is going on. Your house looks like a Cyclopean monster charged in here and took a club to anything that resembled order. And that's not like you. Then this whole Trev thing. You look…I've never seen you look like this. Like even you don't know what's going on. And like…hello? Coop? You made me come over here! What the hell is going on??"

"See, that's the thing," Marissa quietly said, "I don't know. Sum. Like, if I could explain what was going on in my life over the past 24 hours, maybe I'd be able to answer. But I can't. Cuz I don't know."

"Okay let's take it one thing at a time. I want to know all about Trev…but judging by the look you just gave me right there, we'll work up to that one. How about why your place…looks like this…?" Summer gestured to a sock, sitting on top of a bowl of popcorn.

"I don't know!" Marissa covered here eyes with her hands.

"Your house got ransacked? Coop seriously? We should call the cops then or…" Just as she pulled out her phone and opened it, Marissa grabbed it from her and closed it firmly.

"No, no…I did it. I just can't explain…I…" Her eyes wandered her apartment, as if searching for the answer on her walls.

"Coop, did you take something at the party last night or oh my god did someone put something in your drink?" Summer touched her friend's shoulder but still did not get a normal response. Just indifference.

"No… it's not like that, I remember last night perfectly. That's why I'm so confused!"  
Marissa stepped away from Summer, turned back as if to add to her sentence and then just sat down on the couch.

"Coop, you're freaking me out. Start at the beginning. Take your time, whatever it is, we'll work through it." Summer sat down beside her best friend and took her hand. "Coop?"

"Okay, okay. So here's what happened. Okay, you know how I told you I didn't really want to go to the party last night. And I wanted to stay at home? Well, I was decided to do that. You called…said I had to come see Trev and stuff. But I just felt like staying in. So I made popcorn, set up the dvd player and then boom."

"Boom?" Summer questioned.

"Yeah, I just…I had to come to the party. Like it became absolutely necessary that I come to the party and hang out with you and just be there. I don't know why. But it was like I couldn't not go. Physically couldn't stay at home. Some other force brought me to that party. It had to have…"

"Coop, don't be ridiculous. You're just as crazy as Atwood and his 'woman of his dreams'."

"Who?" Marissa turned to Summer with an even more bewildered look.

"Nevermind. Keep going."

"So. I showed up at the party. Just at the time you disappeared with some guy that everyone says is a nerd…"

"That's so not what happened and if you would let me just—"Summer sat up straight almost pleading with Marissa to listen and then stopped herself by the look Marissa gave her. "Right. So not the time for that. You were saying?"

"So about that time…I see this guy and he's good looking. We talked for a few seconds and he was flirting. Says maybe I want to come see a bedroom with him. I politely declined. He left me alone. I stood by myself for a few seconds…then…something happened."

"Okay look Coop, for the love of god, spit it out!"

"I get this completely weird feeling like I need to go find that guy. Like I need to be somewhere else. IT was like everything that happened last night happened for some reason beyond me or something."

Summer just stared blankly at Marissa. "Are you still drunk or something?"

"No! That's the thing. Argh…okay so I found the guy. We went into a bedroom and uh, we slept together."

"You what!?!?" Summer erupted off the couch turning around on Marissa. ""I've been here for like an hour listening to all of this and you're just telling me this part now? Who? What? How? When? Why?"

"That's what I want to know." Marissa shrugged at Summer.

"Wait a sec…you don't even know who!?"

"Oh, yeah I do. It was haha Trev, you got your wish. Although I didn't know it was him until this morning."

"Wait wait wait. Slow down. Marissa Cooper. The virgin of forever…slept with someone and she didn't know who he was? What the hell? Coop…what did you drink last night??

Because seriously, the Coop I know would never do that."

"You see…that's the point. Like I know I did it. He didn't force me or anything. Parts of it are blurry. But only cuz I was in such a rush to have sex with Trev. I just…it needed to happen. Like I said. It was some kind of crazy fate…thing."

Summer and Marissa just sat in silence for awhile both thinking over the night before.

Finally summer broke the silence.

"So..what are you going to do? There's this party on the weekend I think… and you could see Trev and…"

"No. I cannot face him like ever again. I wouldn't know what to say. Hi, we needed to have sex, now that we did, I'm over it, bye? I don't think so. I'm not going to another party like ever again."

"Okay fine, suit yourself." After a few moments of silence, Summer added, "So…how was it?"

"Summer!"

-

* * *

Ryan had not wanted a week to go by faster since he was a kid and Christmas was just around the corner. This party could finally be the place he met Dreamgirl. He knew it was a cheesy title, but if he had to be honest, this girl was definitely worthy of it. All Ryan had to do was make a quick stop at the grocery store before making his way to the party. 

He pulled up to the store, parked and ran inside, pulling out his list. He ran through the aisles, grabbed everything he needed and walked up to the cashier. The lady in front of him had tons of stuff but he figured he had the time to kill anyway. He glanced to his left and all of a sudden, he could not breathe again. His world held in place. It was her. In his mind, all he could see was her. Finally hismind processed her existence and he knew he had to move.

He shook himself out of his daze and noticed she was already heading for the door. He figured a strange guy calling out to her would be too weird, even for him. He decided to chase after her. What he should say when he caught her, he didn't know, but he knew he had to catch her anyway. The lady in front of him positioned her cart, blocking his way through. Ryan pushed against the cart, trying to squeeze past but got stuck. He finally squirmed his way through but by that time the blonde had made her way to her car.

Ryan just made it through the doors and decided that desperate times, called for desperate action. "WAAAAAAAAAAAAIT." He screamed after the girl as she started her car. She glanced over at him and he smiled. And then she frowned, pulled her seat belt on quickly and floored it out of the spot. "NO. No. This is not happening. WAAAAAIT" He chased after her car, and watched her floor it faster out of the parking lot. Ryan watched her drive away. He could not believe how close he had come to meeting his Dreamgirl. And then not. He stared at the ground dejectedly. Even if he did finally meet her, he'd sufficiently creeped her out. He had to hope she'd be at this party. And he could just claim to have thought she was someone else. He turned back towards the store, realizing everyone in the parking lot was watching him. Shit, he thought. Just, shit.

* * *

"Coop? Coop are you home?" Summer walked into Marissa's house, using her friend's spare key. Looking around, everything had returned to normal in the past week. It was as if the weekend prior to the current one had never happened. 

"I'm in here," Marissa called back from the kitchen. "And you won't believe what just happened."

"Oh yeah?" Summer questioned as she rounded the corner into the kitchen and grabbed a banana before taking a seat at the table.

"No, I don't need help and make yourself at home." Marissa scowled at Summer for a brief moment before Summer, whose mouth was full, gestured for her to continue her story. "Right, so, I was getting groceries and some guy practically chased me out of the store and screamed for me to wait."

"Weird. What did he want?"

"Um, I sped out of their as fast as I could. I mean… it was weird. And like, this week has been weird enough. No, I was not stopping for Creepguy. At all."

"Hm, was he good looking?"

"What does that matter?" Marissa asked as she finished putting away all her groceries.

"Coop, it always matters."

"Well he was far…but he looked okay. Anyway, I just thought it was weird." Marissa sat down next to summer and grabbed a piece of the banana. "So, why aren't you getting ready for this party?"

"Well, two reasons, one I thought maybe you might have changed your mind and want to come?" Taking Marissa's death glare as a sign Summer continued, "And, well, I need to move out, and I know your lease for this place is coming up soon, and well… I was hoping you and I could live together?"

"Oh, well I hadn't thought about it but I mean I guess we could look for a place if you want?"

"Well, I already found the place, I put my money down and uh…it starts next week."

"Summer?!" Marissa stared at her friend in awe.

"Look, I meant to tell you last weekend, but with all the craziness, it didn't seem like the time and then I forgot. Anyway, Coop I really need you to say yes."

"Well…don't look at me like that…okay fine. But Summer you owe me huge. But it will be fun for it to be just the two of us. Whoa, hold on, why did you cringe? It's just us isn't it? Sum? Summer Roberts?"

"Well…you see, yes and no. When the other two people in the house aren't there, then it will be just us."

"What? Who are we living with then?"

"Well…see, I don't know yet but don't worry, I'm working on it and by tomorrow morning, I will tell you everything. Right now, I'm late for the party. Have fun tonight, don't stay up too late….reading. Haha I don't think I would ever say that to anyone else. Relax, take it easy." And with a quick peck on the cheek and hug, Summer was off, leaving a confused Marissa behind.

Across town, Seth and Ryan were standing huddled together in a corner at the party.

"Dude, why are we here, like I don't get it, a week ago, you wanted to be miles away from any Newpsie dumbass. And now you dragged me to one of these things?"

"For the hundredth time, I have to try and see that girl again. And if you don't want to be here, you can leave."

"And do what? You know I'm packing to move out, and as little amusement this night is providing, putting stuff in boxes won't help. Which you should be doing too, you need to move soon don't you?"

Summer walked into the party wondering how she was going to keep her promise to Marissa, just when she heard Seth talking to Ryan. She quickly recognized Ryan and she knew she'd seen the guy standing next to him before somewhere. But the important part was that they were moving.

"Heyyy! Atwood, how are you bud?" Summer walked over and hugged Ryan and smiled at Seth. "Any luck with Dreamgirl?"

"Not yet," A slightly confused Ryan replied.

"Right…well keep looking, listen I didn't mean to overhear or anything but you said you were moving…do you perchance have a place picked out?"

"Well actually, I'm going to look for a place tomo—" The blonde boy responded before being interrupted by his brother.

"No, no we don't, why? Do you have a place in mind or something?" Seth said, staring at Summer eagerly. Ryan just glared at Seth. Summer brightened up considerably.

"Well, my best friend and I are looking to fill up two rooms in a house and uh, well it starts next week and we're sort of desperate. What do you think?" Summer asked biting her lip.

"Well… I mean, maybe we can swing by to look…" Ryan started but was cut off by Seth again.

"We're your guys."

"Really? Awesome, thanks so much, I owe you guys, oh Marissa is going to be so pumped about this, she tends to worry about living with randoms. Okay, that's awesome. I'll tell her. Thanks again guys. You're the best." And with that, Summer walked off, leaving Seth just to stare after her.

"What the hell was that about man?" Ryan smacked Seth in the back of the head.

Seth didn't shift his gaze at all, instead he just said, "You have your Dreamgirl, I have mine."

Ryan shook his head and looked up at the ceiling. "Seth, do you have any idea how badly this could end up?"

"Or it could be the best thing that's ever happened to us."


	4. Chapter 4

"So you agreed to us living with two guys I've never met, one of whom you officially met last night and yet you don't know his name? Am I getting this right? At all? Hello?"

Marissa was pacing her living room after Summer arrived at her house a few minutes before to deliver the good news about their new living arrangements. "Well?" Marissa finally stopped moving and just stared at Summer.

Summer bit her lip. "Okay, when you put it like that, I realize it doesn't sound great but…come on Coop, Atwood is awesome, shows up to classes, sweetheart, hot, and just nice in general. Your type, really. And since the other guy is his brother, I don't think we have to worry about him too much, plus he's a bit of a nerd. So like, it will work out amazing." Summer waited for Marissa to agree, and when she didn't she simply shrugged. "Come on Coop, it's gonna be fine, where's your faith?"

"Sometimes, I honestly don't know about you at all Sum, at all." And Marissa marched out of the room.

Meanwhile…

"So you agreed for us both to live with two people…two girls you don't know and one of whom I don't know either? What if they have obsessive boyfriends waiting to shove you into drawers? Or they don't pay bills? Or…there's so much more we have to consider here Seth."

The two guys were at Ryan's apartment getting prepared for moving. Ryan was shoving his stuff into boxes as Seth sat on the desk chair and swung around on it.

"Dude, loosen up a bit. Summer seemed nice…didn't you say Summer was trying to set up her roommate with Trev, so obviously she isn't dating anyone and uh…we're from Newport, who cares about bills…that's what parents are for. Kidding, kidding." Seth adjusted his smile when Ryan turned on him. "Seriously though, I have to do this. Please?" Seth's puppydog face caused Ryan to throw a pillow at him.

"Okay fine. But you owe me huge for agreeing to this." Ryan got up and left the room shaking his head.

"You're going to thank me one day, I know it." Seth yelled after him, throwing the pillow at Ryan but missing and hitting the wall.

"Summer, you owe me big time, for agreeing to this whole thing… sometime in the future you are paying up and it will be amazing." Marissa screamed out to her best friend as she continued to fill the boxes Summer had thrown into her room an hour before.

She had so much stuff to pack in such a short amount of time. God her life was changing so quickly and she didn't know what to think about it. Just a few weeks before, she had been settled, no sleeping with random guys, no moving, no anything. Now her life was in turmoil. What were best friends for? Hopefully the guys would be nice though… and it was handy to have guys to boss around. Oh and they better be clean. Speaking of clean…she needed to look at her new place so she could decide what kind of supplies they would need.

"Sum!? Can we go see the place? I have a few things I need to check out." Marissa yelled out to her roommate, making her way to the door and walking to Summer's room.

"Yeah, sure Coop, no problem. Why don't I call the guys and see if they can meet us there, then we can have a little meet and greet or something? You know, so you feel better?"

"Um, yeah, that would be cool. I'll just go grab a coat and we can head out. We can take my car."

"Yeah, sure whatever, I'll call Atwood."

Seth was sitting in Ryan's room alone. Ryan was showering and Seth was waiting so they could finish packing Ryan's stuff. Seth was just getting bored when Ryan's cell phone rang.

"Hi, Atwood?"

"Hello, this is…uh, not Ryan,"

Summer checked her phone and made sure she had the right number. She did. "Who is this?"

"I think the better question is, who is this?" Seth asked, even though he already knew.

"Or the even better question is, why don't you know how to read call display? Now put Atwood on the phone assclown."

"Uh. Oh. Summer, calm down, it's Seth…" He paused. "Seth Cohen." Still no answer. "The guy you agreed to move in with last night."

"Oh, your Atwood's brother. Cool, is Atwood there or…?"

"Actually, he's in the shower. But I am not. As you can probably deduce. So, how can I be of service?"

"Well, Coop and I, that's my best friend, we wanted to know if you guys wanted to come meet us and see the place. That way we can all get to know each other before we move in and stuff. What do you think?"

"Sure. Yeah, We'll be there. What's the address?"

After getting the address, Seth hung up the phone and went to go get Ryan. He knew as soon as Ryan saw the house, he would warm up to the idea. He just had to get Ryan there.

"Dude you are not going to believe this. The girls called and want to…Hello? Earth to Ryan? What's got you so happy? You had this dopey little grin, much like me when it's Chrismukkah. What's going on?"

Ryan started out of his daydream and glared at Seth. Sometimes, he had the worst timing. "Uh, nothing." Ryan placed his toothbrush into the holder. In truth, he had been thinking about that girl again. It was impossible not to. As soon as all this moving stuff was done, he was going on a mission and he was going to find this girl. There was no way he could keep missing her. He just had to have time to explain the situation. At first it might seem weird but he was hoping he could convince her that was a good thing. Maybe he would just play it cool or…

"Dude? What is up with you?" Seth waved his hands in a circular motion to catch Ryan's attention.

Ryan rubbed his hand over his face. "Like I said, nothing. What are you doing in here anyway, I said I would be right back. I was only in the shower for like five minutes, can't you occupy yourself?"

Seth leaned against the door and Ryan shoved him as he walked past to go to change in his room. Seth followed. "Ha. Ha. You are SO not funny."

Ryan turned and stared at Seth, "I'm changing, you out."

Seth sat down in the hall as Ryan shut the door and proceeded to get ready. Both were silent for a few seconds until Seth interrupted. "Oh, dude, I forgot. The reason I was coming to get you, the girls want us to come and see the house. They think it will be a good way to do a meet and greet type thing."

"Oh, really?" Ryan was pulling on his shirt and yelling to Seth through the door. He turned and opened it with one hand. "We have a lot of packing to do though…"

Seth had just got up and walked into the room. As Ryan responded he collapsed onto the bed. "Dude, you have been saying we don't know who we're moving in with, I pull out the solution, you veto. You need to loosen up a bit man."

Just then, Ryan's cell phone rang and he reached for it. Seth put up a hand. "Wait! That could be Summer, let me get it. She's probably calling to talk to me again. Can't resist my little man charms."

"Did you just say man charms?" Seth lunged for the phone but Ryan pulled it out of reach just in time.

"It's not Summer, okay? It's Trev, that guy from the party?"

Seth nodded and proceeded to stare at his watch with impatience.

"Hey, Trev, what's up man? Oh really? That sucks. Well, no I don't mind at all? Where? Okay, give me like 15 minutes and I'll be there. See ya." Ryan closed his phone.

The whole time during the conversation, Seth had been shaking his head and making wild arm gestures but Ryan ignored him. Now Seth just stood up and raised his arms upwards. "What the hell was that!? You clearly ignored the sign, you can't tell me you didn't see me flapping away like a pigeon Ryan, you just can't."

"No, I saw you." Ryan reached for his jacket and turned to Seth. "Look, Trev's car won't start, he's getting it towed but he needs a ride home. I said no problem. I owe him a favour, he let me search his house, and he totally helped me study for that thing I had in class the other day…so come on."

Seth nodded. "Fine. Call Summer and disappoint her soul. And you know how you said I owed you…we're even."

Ryan narrowed his eyes. "Hardly. But there's no need to cancel, we can do both. I'll drop you off, get Trev, drop him off and go home and keep packing. I'm sure Summer won't mind. And if she does, then I can pick you up."

Seth sighed dramatically. "Fiiiiiiiine. But don't blame me if I dibs the bigger room." His eyes were gleaming.

"Seth, we're living with two girls. We'll be lucky to get a closet." And with that, they headed for the door.

* * *

"Wow Sum, you weren't kidding. This place is amazing. I think I might actually like it here. Depending on these boys you've asked to move in with us. Where are they?"

Marissa was dancing around in the biggest bedroom, which she had convinced Summer should be hers, since she was such a good friend. Summer was sitting on the floor watching her friend. She glanced at her watch. "I don't know actually, he should be here by now. I'll call him."

The doorbell interrupted her dialing. Summer smiled. "Okay, that's them now. Even if you hate them, we've already agreed to everything. We can ditch them later but just be nice now, okay?"

Marissa grimaced but nodded. They both headed towards the front door. Summer opened it. "Hey guys, welc—where's Atwood?"

"Well, hello to you too Summer. And you must be…uh…Coop? I'm Seth."

Marissa brushed her hair behind her ear and reached out her hand. "Um, Marissa, actually."

Seth nodded, and waved at Summer. "So, uh, are you going to invite me in or…?"

"Not until you tell me where Atwood is Cohen." Summer stared at Seth. He turned and pointed at the SUV driving away up the street. "Well, one of our friends had a problem with his car, so Ryan said he was really sorry but he had to help the guy and that he would see you ladies later, when he came to pick me up."

Marissa bit her lip. She was anxious to meet this other guy. But she smiled at Seth. "Well, that was nice of him, come on in. The place is amazing. Unfortunately, I have to leave soon, I'm supposed to meet this girl from one of my classes to exchange notes for a paper. But I guess I'll meet him when we all move in, right?"

"Sure, I'll be sure to give him a full report on you anyways. So let's get started ladies. Let's see a tour."

Three hours later, Ryan pulled up in front of the house to pick Seth up. He stepped out of the car and got really nervous. What if the Summer's best friend decided she didn't like him? What if Seth had ruined everything? The truth was, he needed this place and rent was good… he bounded up the steps two at a time.

Just as he was about to push the doorbell he heard Summer yelling "Shut up Cohen, I will not tell you one more time. God you are so annoying."

Ryan decided he arrived just in time. He rang the doorbell and knocked but the argument seemed to be overpowering his attempts to get in so he tried the door. Since it was unlocked he walked into the kitchen where he saw Seth and Summer in the middle of an argument about where the table would work best.

"Hey…hello? HEY!" Ryan yelled. "Sorry to just walk in but I guess, I'm going to live here. Hey Summer. Where's um, your friend?"

"Oh, she had plans for tonight but Cohen and I stayed to talk about our house." Summer smiled at him. Seth was leaning against the counter and nodded at him.

"Uh, you ready to go?" Ryan asked Seth, trying to lower the pressure in the room. Seth nodded, smiling. Summer looked…disappointed?

"Sure, man. So…we move in tomorrow?" Seth turned to Summer for confirmation and she nodded.

"Well then, we better pack up at our places, see you tomorrow. Tell Marissa I said hi and we'll see her soon."

Seth led the way out of the house. Ryan smiled. Marissa. That sounded like a nice name. Maybe this would work out after all.


End file.
